About the Sussex County Football League

The Sussex County Football League has been established since 1920 when the League started with just 12 teams and 1 division. In the first season Worthing were champions with Vernon Ath (2nd) & Eastbourne 3rd. In that year there were some familiar names, Chichester, East Grinstead , Lewes, Newhaven, Shoreham & Southwick.

In the 1952/53 season the Sussex County Football League started a 2nd Division, this was won by Wigmore Ath (now Worthing Utd) then in the 1972/73 season, a Reserve section was started with one division, which was won by Southwick.

By 1977/78 the league increased this to 2 divisions (East & West) as the clubs felt there was a demand for a second division.The champions for the West were Southwick & the East, Burgess Hill, who were also overall champions.

1981/82 saw the first champions of the Sussex County League Youth Division, Crowborough and in the following season a further division was created making East & West Divisions and in 1995/96 another division was created forming a northern division.

In 1983/84 the Sussex County Football League took the step to create a 3rd division with intermediate status, this decision was made in order to help district leagues sides make the jump from district football to County football with a view to progressing through the pyramid system.In the first season a former member of the West Sussex League won it at their first attempt, their name East Preston, now a familiar name in division 1 and has been for several years.

Division 3 was the brain child of the current Chairman Peter Bentley, who had a vision that this division would provide a stepping stone for clubs wishing to progress.

There are many familiar names now that have benefited from Division 3, Oakwood, Saltdean, Hassocks, Seaford Town, Broadbridge Heath, St Francis Hospital (now St Francis Rangers), Stamco, and back in that first season a little unknown team from the east of the county Langney Sports joined Division 3 , now Eastbourne Borough.

In 1985/86 the league started a third Reserve Section Division through demand, this then lead to the creation of a Premier Division and 2 Regional Divisions, (East & West ).

Since the first year the Sussex County Football League has come a long way it now has 3 top divisions, 3 Reserve divisions and 3 under 18 youth divisions.